For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Ya'll, I believe with all my heart we are living in the last days. I truly believe that the Jesus has gotten up from His seat on the throne and is literally looking to His Father saying "Can I call for them?". We are privileged to be living in such an exciting time.

My concern is that there are many people who go to church every Sunday, who even work in the church, but do not truly have a relationship with Jesus. Matthew 7:21 says "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." We all know that Satan is prowling the earth seeking those he can destroy. Satan's goal is to cause the true Christian to fall so that their witness is left in ruins and to keep those who are not yet believers from truly trusting Christ.

In his quest to keep people from trusting God, satan sometimes causes Christians to have a dull conscience when it comes to sin. He also causes those who "think" they are saved (by works) to continue in their religion and never see that we are saved by grace and not by works. My fear is that there are people who may be close to us all that put on a good act. People who we see at church every week who are active in the house of God, but not part of the Kingdom of God. I fear that we are evangelizing the lost in the world and forgetting the lost who sit in the pews every week.

The tribulation will be terrible (if you want to read about the events after the rapture see the article link below). The horror will be unimagineable. Think about the elderly who have been taught that you just have to "be good and do right" to go to heaven --they will be left behind without food or medical care. Unless they take the mark of the beast, they will starve to death. Think about the young who were old enough to accept Jesus, but just put it off (it could have been any one of us). They will be left to fend for themselves in an evil world without hope. Then think about the average capri pant wearing, Vera Bradley bag toting, ballet flat wearing young mommy. Maybe she thought her church membership saved her. Maybe she thought since her parents were saved she would be too OR maybe she thought that her confirmation or baptism as an infant would save her. Picture her standing over the crib of her precious little baby only to find the baby gone.

This is why we so need to be asking even those who we know fairly well if they truly know the Lord. We need to be dilligent and consistent in our witness and witnessing. I love to think about the Rapture and heaven. I can't wait to see Jesus up close and in person - I dream about it all the time (I just realized I am a Jesus groupie!). Our time here is so short. We are told to watch for His return, but also to work until He comes. There is lots left to do and we may just need to start in our own Judea, no, in our own house of worship.

The Sign of Our Generation (I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, THIS!!!)

"In the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), Jesus revealed to His disciples that the primary sign of the end of the age and His soon return would be the restoration of Israel as a nation. However, He didn’t plainly say so. Instead, He once again used the fig tree as a metaphor for the nation of Israel:“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I’ve described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” Matthew 24:32-35 (NLT)The fig tree is Israel. It’s been six decades since Israel was once again declared a nation against all worldly odds. In Matthew 24, Jesus promises that the generation which witnesses the reestablishment of Israel will not die off until the end of the age comes to pass. Given the Bible’s impeccable track record, we have every reason to expect His imminent return. Jesus will return soon, within our generation, and a wise person will prepare accordingly.Just as the time of His first coming was clearly revealed to the previous generation, the season of His Return has been clearly revealed to ours. The previous generation was unprepared for His arrival. Ours should be watching with a patient and enduring faith, fully confident in the glory we are about to witness. Christ is coming. The fig tree is in bloom, and ours is the generation. "

Now, that, my friends, out to make you jump up and have a Holy Ghost spell!!!

I copied this from the end of an article on Britt Gillette's website. Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship between bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com/.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I believe everything in the Bible is true. I believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God to His people. I find that some of the verses in the Bible have proven to be so true for me personally. For instance, any verses about grace and forgiveness really speak to me because I am a poster child for God's grace and forgiveness. Verses that speak to sin ring true with me because I am an A #1 sinner. The one verse that sums up all the others and never fails to prove true for me is Hebrews 4:12 " For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart". Isn't that so true? The Word of God penetrates to the very marrow of our bones (can anything go deeper than that?). It exposes our true thoughts and attitudes that we have so desperately tried to hide. It lays bare our hearts and cuts deep into our soul. The Word of God can bring on emotions we never knew we could experience.

Why does the Hebrew writer say that the Word of God is "living and active"? Well, because John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". The Word of God is living and active because the Word IS God and God is alive, well, and sitting on the throne in heaven! That word you read in the Bible that convicted you, that made you see your ugly sin.....it was GOD HIMSELF! The Word IS God!!! When we spend time in the word, we are spending time in the presence of God. When we dont spend time in the word, we are rejecting God.

I tell ya there are times when I study the Bible and I see just how ugly my present sin is and how ugly my past sins are . It makes me sad to the core of my being - to the very deepest part of my heart. There are times when it also makes me want to cover my ears and say "lalalalalala" to God. It makes me want to stayout of the Word that I know will convict me and show me just how much I need His grace. But, just like a child who has cut his knee, we have to pour the alcohol of God's Word into that open wound so that it can be healed. So that we can be healed.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I love this blogging thing. It's like having all my girlfriends over everyday and I dont even have to make finger foods or clean my house! Thank you, Jesus! I would just like to say how much it thrills me to read your comments. It tickles me to no end to read all your blogs and have you guys read mine. Am I co-dependent or what? I am so thankful for all you Christian women/mothers who are in the same boat as I am with the same problems I have who are trying to please the Lord. You guys make me smile every time you comment and every time I read your blog entries. It helps me know that I am not alone in my struggles to be who God wants me to be. Why didnt I start blogging sooner? I have always been a little slow I guess.

Thank you all for making my day(s). Just wanted to tell you all that..................that's all.

BethAnneMe & Lake at the Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch. It was hot!!! My hair is proof of that!

I hate satan. I even refuse to capitalize his disgusting little name. The Bible says he prowls the earth seeking to kill, steal, and destroy - and he does. I will give him props on one thing - he is consistent. He uses the same argument with us today as he did with Eve in the garden. Genesis 3:1 says, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Many of us think of Eve as stupid because she didnt see right through satans plan, but the truth is we are no better than she is - she was just the first one to fall for it. Actually, when you think about it, we should give Eve the benefit of the doubt because she didn't know that he wanted to harm her. We know what he is about and we still fall for his little schemes. (I hate to think of the times I have let satan take over my better judgement).

He might be the prince of this world, but he really doesn't have to be very intelligent to outsmart most of us. He is still using the same tactics he used on Eve. How many times has he whispered in your ear 'Did God really say ____________(you fill in the blank)?" For instance, 'Did God really say you should give 10 % to His church or is it okay to count the time you spend serving in your tithe?' How about 'Did God really say you shouldnt gossip after all you are just telling the truth?' Or maybe 'Did God really say you should be holy because He is holy, because who could live up to His standards anyway'? I could go on and on 'Did God really say not to be drunk with wine, not to give in to impure thoughts, not to gamble, to be a good steward of your time and money, you have to love your neighbor, to forgive everyone? The list is endless and unique to each of us, but the question remains the same - 'Did God really say....?

Those are just a few of the common arguments satan uses on God's people. There are so many more little areas he uses the 'Did God really say?" arguments with us and he makes us question the truths God has laid out for us in His Word. We think we are so smart, yet when satan whispers in our ear, we question the Shepherd and follow satan like sheep. The old saying "There is nothing new under the sun" is so true. The devil knows that Jesus is 'The Truth' so, he get us to sin by making us question what we know to be true. (Does that make sense?) One thing is for sure, the liar and deceiver is still at work with us just like he was at work in the garden. And I hate him!

Monday, September 24, 2007

Someone sent me this today. I watched it and I couldnt help but be moved. The disclaimer on the side says "This is intended for believers as it DOES NOT COMPLETELY DEPICT THE GOSPEL. This is not meant as a scare tactic........" But it did scare me. It scared me because I know people who are lost (and people who have died without Jesus). It scared me because even though I witness to most people I come in contact with, there are those who will not listen and I most often do not press them. I can name at least 3 people who have died within the past 4 years who I knew were not saved and yet I did not do everything within my power to change their minds. I realize that some of the things depicted here are probably not accurate pictures of how things are in hell, but it will make you think (if you havent already seen it). Take 6 minutes of your day to watch this. I hope it helps renew your compassion for the lost like it has for me this morning.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Have you ever thought you lost something only to find that it was in plain sight the whole time? How many times have you searched and searched for your car keys only to finally find them exactly where they were supposed to be? I do it all the time. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees. Instead of seeing God in my circumstance, all I see is the problem. In Mark, we see the disciples doing the same thing. They were worried over where they were going to buy bread, when they were traveling with “the Bread of Life” not to mention the fact that they had just seen Jesus feed four thousand with only seven little loaves. “Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: ‘Why are talking about having no bread? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?’” Mark 8:17-19.Jesus was saddened by their unbelief. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “What’s wrong with you guys? Have I ever let you down before? I’ve always supplied all your needs and much more. Don’t you remember how I fed all those people with a few loaves of bread and some fish?” I think He says the same to us when we get bogged down in our circumstances. Sometimes we are blinded by our problems and deaf to Jesus soft, fatherly voice saying ‘It’s all right. I’m here and I’ve always been here. I know your problem. Rest your head on my shoulder and stop worrying. This is all part of my plan and it is going to work out perfectly for your good. Trust in me.’

Thursday, September 20, 2007

When my sister first got married, she moved with her husband to California. It was interesting to talk on the phone with her because within a few short weeks her southern drawl had been replaced by a distinct California accent (and let me tell ya, we Tennessee girls have a thick hick accent!). This same thing happened with two of my good friends who moved from Tennessee to Michigan. After a short while up north, their Tennessee accents were completely lost and they said they could no longer stand the slow pace of life here. I guess it really is true that we begin to act and sound like the people we spend the most time with. If we spend time with negative people, it is easy to become negative also. If we spend time with gossips, it is easy to become a gossip too. Likewise, if we spend time with God in prayer and Bible study, we will end up becoming like Him.

We women have so many demands on our time today. Too often our daily time with God is reduced to those last few seconds before we fall asleep at night or it is spent on the road driving the kids to school. It is pretty difficult to hear from God when you lay half-asleep, slobbering on your pillow or when you are concentrating on the speed limit while refereeing an argument between your children. How many times have you left God completely out of your day? (I know I have done it way more than I care to admit). ‘Busy-ness’ can and likely will be our spiritual downfall. When we become too busy for God, we become spiritually bankrupt. A wife/mother who is spiritually bankrupt cannot be a Godly witness to her family. The truth is that our relationship with God affects everyone around us!

I wrote in another post that I read a study that says the average Christian spends 30 seconds or less in prayer each day. How can we call ourselves followers of God when we dont even give Him 30 seconds per day to lead us? I really disgust myself sometimes with my often flippant attitude toward prayer and Bible study. I spend probably 45 minutes to an hour each day getting myself ready (ie makeup, hair, shower, etc) physically, but I am completely ashamed that there are days that I spend much less than that preparing myself spiritually.

We cannot expect to truly get to know God without spending quality time with Him everyday. The only way we will ever become like God is by spending time studying His word, praying, and listening for Him to speak to us. This doesn’t just mean getting into God’s word, it is also letting God’s word get into you. It is our responsibility to be Jesus to our families, but we cant do that unless we take the time to really get to know Him. We have to remember that life is not a sprint to the finish line, it is a long distance race. If you aren’t spending time with God, then you will not have the energy to finish the race, much less finish faithfully (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Disclaimer: The above message was intended strictly for the writer/owner of this blog. Please note that even though the above sounds exactly like sermon, the writer is not a preacher and does not play one on tv.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

As a mother, how many times have you told your child to be still? I am guessing that in my six years of motherhood I have said that phrase somewhere in the millions of times. Okay, how many times have you said, "Be quiet"? Again millions for me. It is so difficult for kids to be still and be quiet - it is in their very nature to be moving and making noise.

If you have know anything about the Bible, I am sure that you know that Psalm says, "Be still and know that I am God". I think this verse speaks volumes, but we miss it because it seems so simple. But it isn't simple to be still and know. Like our children, it isnt in our nature to be still and let God be God. More likely, it is in our nature (well maybe just my nature) to say that we trust God, but do whatever we can to make things turn out the way we want them to. We may know that He is God, but do we really believe that He is in complete control of EVERYTHING in our lives (and in the world for that matter)? If we truly believe that He is sovreign, would we try to manipulate situations or would we worry over the outcome of our predicaments? No, we would let Him do what He does best -- take care of every detail of our lives.

Much of the time what we say we believe doesnt match our actions. We claim to trust, but we just cant let go of even the little details, much less the huge areas that can only be "fixed" by God in His own time. Our rush to action is not only a lack of faith and a poor witness, but it is also an affront to the One and Only who has already done more for us than anyone ever could, would or will do for us.

I have this picture of my son in my mind standing in front of me talking a mile a minute about something that is bothering him. I am standing there just waiting for him to finish his rant so that I can tell him the solution to his problem. I think that is just what God does with us. He listens and watches as we rant and rave all the while He is waiting for us to be still so that He can give us a solution. It just may be that when we get really still and really quiet is when He will whisper His divine answer to us..................maybe He is saying ssshhhh! to you right now. I know He is saying sssshhhh! to me.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

How many times have you taken time to just picture what heaven must look like? Or have you ever just tried to picture what Jesus really looks like? (I mean what He REALLY looks like - not the pictures we have seen all our lives of Jesus with blue eyes and light brown hair - He was from the middle east - there are no blue eyes in the middle east). I love to just sit and think about what it will be like in heaven. I also love to get on my knees and pray pretending I am sitting at Jesus feet or putting my head in His lap. John got a glimpse of heaven and he tells us about it in Revelation 4:

"After this I looked, and there before me was a door standingopen in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpetsaid, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." Atonce I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven withsomeone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasperand carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them weretwenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on theirheads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals ofthunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the sevenspirits[a] of God. Also before the throne there was whatlooked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In thecenter, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were coveredwith eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, thesecond was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like aflying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was coveredwith eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stopsaying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is tocome." Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him whosits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders falldown before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever andever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You areworthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor andpower, for you created all things, and by your will theywere created and have their being."

I get so excited by these verses because I believe with all my heart that we are so close to the church being raptured (and I mean CLOSE, people, very CLOSE!). I look at the news and it seems that the labour pains are getting so close and stronger in intensity (http://raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php). All the countries that the Bible says will play a part in the end times are on the political scene and things are developing every day that are setting the stage for us to hear the shout (1 Thess 4:16-18).

Sometimes I get so bogged down by life and busy-ness, but God's promise to believers never fails to pick me up and calm my anxious spirit. There are many people who would say that I have the perfect family and the perfect life. The truth is that even though my life is beyond wonderful and I love my husband and children more than any words can say, none of our lives will be perfect until we are in the presence of the Head of our Family - our Father.

Here is a link to a YouTube video about John and what he saw in his Revelation from God. It is so worth your time to watch - it brought tears to my eyes.

Monday, September 17, 2007

When my son got in the car after school today, I asked him (as always) how his day went. The conversation went like this:

Mom: Hey honey, how was school today?Lake: Great, I got to read my book out loud to the class.Mom: What book ?Lake: The book we had to write last week at school.Mom: Oh, what is the name of your book?Lake: It's called "I Had A Cat and It Died"Mom: (laughing inwardly so as not to cause a complex- you know they always blame the mother for things like that) How does the story go?Lake: Uh-hum....."I Had a Cat and It Died" By Lake. I had a cat and it died. It was sad. The End.

I so wish I had written down all the funny things my boys have said over their little lifetimes. I am afraid, though, that there wouldn't be enough trees to make paper to write them all down on. Kids say and do such funny things and most everything they do is out of innocence. It's no wonder Jesus loved to be around children.

Yesterday at church, our whole Sunday School lesson was on The Sermon on the Mount. Kind of silly to squeeze that whole Sermon preached by none other than Jesus Himself into one little lesson. It was kind of strange since our pastor spent almost a year preaching a series of sermons on the same subject last year. Unfortunately, the Sermon on the Mount is too lengthy to post here (you can read it yourself in Matthew 5, ,7, & 7). Trying to cover everything Jesus addressed in one hour is like trying to drink the ocean dry with a straw in a day (which is also impossible even with those big, fat McDonald's straws).

We were given a discussion question by our teacher yesterday that really made me think. He asked, "Which of the points in The Sermon on the Mount is most challenging for you personally ?" In small groups, we all went around the circle and told what we found most challenging. Some of the answers were worry, being judgemental, meekness, doing things for men's applause, etc. etc. When it came time for me to answer, I was sweating because I knew there was no way I could pick just one. I could not pick three. I didn't want to look like a total freak and say "Each and every one of those areas Jesus talked about is a stumbling block to me", but I should have.

Here are most of the areas Jesus covered in this sermon:

murder, adultery, peacemaking, let your yes be yes and no be no, turn the other cheek, love your neighbor, love your enemies, do not do righteous acts for men's applause, forgive, don't store up treasures on earth, don't love money, don't worry, seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, don't judge, don't throw your pearls to swine (I will address this in another post sometime), and do unto others as you would have GOD do unto you.

There are a lot of rules there. I could go on for days how I have failed in each of those areas (ie. I murdered Jesus, I have committed adultery in my heart, etc, etc). On the way home from church, my husband and I talked about how we could never live up to all those requirements -- no one could, except Jesus. Then it hit me, maybe the whole point in Jesus' preaching was to encourage people to strive toward those things, but also to make them see that they could never achieve all of them by their own strength. His Sermon on the Mount was helping point these people in the crowd that day to the grace that was soon to come from the Cross. He knew that none of those people listening that day could actually keep every one of those commands. He also knew that He was going to die so that if they did break one of those commands, they would not be condemned to die. If it weren't for the grace of God, I would be on a slippery slope straight to hell. That makes me a graceful sinner. I am a murdering, lying, thieving, attention-craving, money-loving, earth treasure-storing, judging person. So, in order to save me from myself and what I deserve, He sent Jesus to die.

Sometimes, I think we get so caught up in trying to be perfect we forget that WE dont have to be perfect. Jesus is perfect and He sacrificed Himself for us. He put Himself in our miserable, sorry place. There is no sense in beating ourselves up for the terrible things we do on a daily basis. God knows our hearts, more importantly He knows we arent perfect. That's why He sent Jesus. Sometimes, I just need to remind myself of these things. Maybe you do too.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

This is one of my very favorite verses in the whole Bible. I like to read the parts that start with you (which is me) and I (which is "I AM")........................

Isaiah 43:1-7

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob,he who formed you, O Israel:"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters,I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;the flames will not set you ablaze.3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;I give Egypt for your ransom,Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,and because I love you,I will give men in exchange for you,and people in exchange for your life.5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;I will bring your children from the eastand gather you from the west.6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'Bring my sons from afarand my daughters from the ends of the earth-7 everyone who is called by my name,whom I created for my glory,whom I formed and made."

Friday, September 14, 2007

Today, while I was driving my son to school, I noticed a car coming toward me in the other lane. It was a red car, Chevrolet I think. The car itself was nothing out of the ordinary, what was strange was the word that was written on it. On the visor of the car written in script was the word "Budweiser". Now, I know I live in Tennesse and believe me we have our fair share of rednecks here so writing, rebel flags, etc are pretty normal sights, but this is something I dont normally see. This person went to the trouble of having someone place this beer advertisement right on the most visible part of his car. Granted, I am a tee-totaler, I do not drink alcohol of any kind so my first reaction when I saw the word was "That person is probably lost". (I know I am not supposed to judge, but that is truly what crossed my mind). I have no idea whether that man in the "Bud" car was a Christian or not, but I believe that if someone took such pains to the name of a beer on their car, then that pretty much gives us a clue as to what they love.Dont get me wrong I am not against writing on cars, but you dont see me getting a sign on the visor of my car that says "Lipton Green Tea" - I like to drink it, but dont like it enough to paste it across the front of my car. By now, you are thinking what is her point? Well, my point is that for some reason in America we have glorified sin to the point that people think it is "cool" to promote a lifestyle that are contrary to God's Word.This made me think how we give signals to others by the way we dress, the things we say, the words on the visors of our cars (okay well some people's cars). In the Old Testment the tribes of Israel carried banners that had the name of their tribe on them so everyone would know to which tribe they belonged. Sometimes our actions, words, dress, etc. are like a banner over us. Song of Solomon 2:4 says "He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love". I wonder if what the world sees in me is God's banner of love. It is easy to get caught up in the world and worldly thinking. Since our strongest witness is the way we live, it is important that we stay aware of what our banner is saying. Is it saying "Budweiser" or is it saying "Love".

Thursday, September 13, 2007

We are at war. I’m not talking about the war between the United States and terrorists. I am talking about an even more intense and fierce battle than any soldier on any battlefield in history has ever witnessed. It’s a spiritual war -- a battle between God and Satan, and as followers of Christ we are soldiers on the front line. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. Even Satan knows that God will win the war, but he still fights tirelessly to hinder God’s work on earth. Satan loves nothing more than to see broken marriages, lost jobs, financial ruin, dissention in the church, and anything else that causes God's people pain.As a woman, it may be difficult to picture yourself as a soldier, but 2 Timothy 2:3-4 calls us just that. Think about it this way, both God and Satan (the enemy) have a battle plan. Satan’s battle plan is to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). But God’s battle plan is to overcome the enemy and advance His kingdom. Like soldiers in any war, we sometimes feel the fatigue of daily battle and our wounds are so deep we feel like surrendering. But we must always remember that when we were saved, we enlisted in the army of God and His battle plan will not fail. We will be victorious over sin, death , and hell. The Bible says we are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).While God is the author of your salvation, Satan is the author of deceit. There will be times when the enemy takes you captive for a brief moment and whispers lies into your ear (“that isn’t gossip“, “its only a little lie“, “you are your own boss”, “this wont hurt anybody“). But be encouraged, while Satan may influence you for a short time, it is God who is your commander and He will let NOTHING separate you permanently from Him. The soldiers who “fight the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7) will receive an awesome reward - Jesus. Satan has launched a full-scale attack on our homes, our families, our church, etc., but God already has the victory party planned. So next time you feel like going AWOL, remember the war may be long, but Jesus wins and He is the ultimate prize.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

I found this in a comment on one of my favorite websites www.RaptureAlert.com and it is quite graphic. I don't know who wrote it, but I think it is well worth the time it takes to read. Actually, I need to read it everyday to remind me of what I did to Jesus.

Anatomy Of The Crucifixion

It Was WrittenMore than 39 lashes of the cat-o-nine-tailsThe torture wasn’t limited to nine inch nailsHeamatodrosis;He dripped with red sweatAnticipated torture and the process of deathThe whip consisted of nine thick leather strapsWith unforgiving shards to slay open His backThe rocks bared the muscles,His nerves exposedBoth venous and arterial bleeding transposedThe aim of the scourging was to remove all fleshTo intensify the pain while assuring His deathThe bleary- eyed Jesus was untied and he slumpedTo the hardened earth drenched in His own bloodThe soldiers saw jest in His humble claim as KingPutting a robe on His wounds;they gave Him a reedThey pressed the thorn of crowns deeper in His scalpNever tiring of their evil sport and vicious attackBleeding but not yet broken,He bore 120 poundsCondemned to bear weight on opened woundsThe clots and flesh were then peeled off attachedAs they sadistically tore the robe off His backThey clamored and laughed at the “Titulus” or signCarried at the procession,stating the victims crimeJesus ever silent, followed in cold clammy shockEnduring the mocking to that black hill of bloodWith outstretched arms not pulled quite tauntThe sins of the world nailed to the patibulumImpaling wounds with splinters of wooden stipesEvery movement adding salt to His bloody stripesThe pathophysiologic effects of a crucifixionAre so much more than the points of transfixionA marked interference with normal respirationThe weight of His body didn’t allow exhalationPectoral muscles paralyzed;the intercostal unable to act Makes the inability to push upward the agony of factYet He spoke seven times, the utterances terse and shortEnduring exceeding pain to plea forgiveness and exhort!The only thing that let Him breathe let alone to speakWas pushing up on the nails in His hands and His feetDoing so caused strains of gore along the median nervesScraping once again where our Savior was scourgedA sponge soaked in gall;the drink of the Roman legionnaireVinegar given untoHis lips as they were gasping for airHypovolemix shock,pleural effusion and dehydrationIs how The Son of Man died after exhaustive asphyxiationMore important than the anatomy of His crucifixionIs written in Psalm 22:14 as a matter of conviction“I am poured out like water and my bones are out of joint”Unrecognized as the Messiah;the prophetic pivotal pointThen they pierced His side,out flowed blood mixed waterWhat if this very day it was your child, friend or mother?Just as in Zorba, the unrepentant casts lots forHis clothingTranscendent throughout all time invoking ire and loathingDo you even know what he cried in His loud dying voice?Or that His suffering atonement was by Love and by Choice?Stumbling blocks not removed from the blood of the lamb“Many tried to become God; but only One God became man.”

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

As the mother of a three year old, I find myself frustrated much of the time. I am frustrated the most by his lack of attention to things I ask him to do (or not to do). So many times I feel as if I might as well be talking to the wall. I can plainly give him instructions and there are days when he does just the opposite of what I ask him. It is not only frustrating; it is also hurtful, because I want only the best for my child. When he turns a deaf ear to me and takes his own course, his choices usually end up being to his detriment. It seems like such an easy lesson -- ‘Do what I tell you and you won’t get into trouble’.I think how the Lord must feel the same way about me every day of my life. His word gives explicit instructions of what I should and should not do; however, there are so many times I pay no attention and do my own thing. God has a perfect plan for my life, but often times I forfeit His best because I refuse to listen to His Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 1:11). Every time I go out on my own and ignore the Holy Spirit, the end result is personal disaster. The disaster may not be apparent immediately, but rest assured, its effects will be felt in due time. I could name so many examples in my life, but there is not enough wood in the world to make the paper it would take to write them all down.God, like any parent, also must feel grief that I don’t show enough consideration for Him or His Word to obey what He asks of me. He must get so tired of my whining and disobedience. It sure is a good thing that He said “Never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), because I definitely deserve to be left and forsaken.The lesson God tries to teach me is the same lesson I have tried to teach my own child -- ‘Do what I tell you and you won’t get into trouble’. I am amazed that, just as with my own child, He still loves me no matter how defiant I am. However, just as with my own child, defiance results in punishment. Isn’t it funny that , no matter how old we get, this simple lesson is one of the most difficult to learn?

Monday, September 10, 2007

When I read about “The Wife of Noble Character” in Proverbs 31, I always feel a little inadequate. Okay, a lot inadequate. I want to scream, “Are you kidding me?“ This woman gets up while its still dark to fix breakfast for everyone in her household. She buys real estate and plants vineyards with her hard-earned money. She works non-stop, gets very little sleep, and is never cranky. She helps the poor and needy. She makes clothes for herself and her family. She even makes her own bed spreads! In her spare time (spare time?), she makes linen clothes and sashes and sells them to merchants. She speaks with wisdom and faithfully instructs her children. This woman laughs at the thought of getting old. She is NEVER idle. Her children call her blessed and her husband praises her, saying in essence that no other woman could compare to her. This woman is respected by virtually everyone who knows her.

With two small children, there isn't much time for sewing (although I do have a very nice machine -my husband calls it the $500 waste of money) and I dont even own a spindle or distaff. I have never planted a vineyard (I do plant some tomatoes each summer though). My words are not always wise and sometimes they are downright ugly even to my own ears. I have never really laughed at the thought of getting old -- I might cry, but never laugh. I get up before sunrise in order to get ready to take my son to school, but I dont fix a wonderful breakfast for my family (unless you call Lucky Charms a nutritious breakfast - even though they are magically delicious).

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems impossible to live up the standard this lady has set. Impossible, that is, until I read verse 30, which says, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”. We may not be able to match the productivity level of the Proverbs 31 woman, but we can model her character. The Proverbs 31 woman is a supportive of her husband, faithful, kind, diligent in her work, and loving to everyone, but I believe her most important character trait is found in three little words-- she “fears the Lord”.

Lord, help me to try my best to be like the virtuous woman you told us about in your Word. I want to be a loving wife and wonderful mother. I want to do everything for your glory, but most of all I want to "fear the Lord". I want others to see You in me.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

I think it was 1994 when I got my first cell phone (I am 35). I thought I was so cool and “cutting edge”. Who would have ever thought it would be possible to be driving down the road and talking on the phone at the same time? I mean I had seen it on the Jetsons, but I never thought it would be a reality for the average person in my lifetime. The phone itself was about the size of a large brick and weighed about as much too. The antenna was about a foot long and the size of one of those ‘fat’ pencils we used in 1st grade. If you turned your head while you were on the phone, you were in danger of seriously injuring anyone within close proximity of you. I remember thinking that 30 free minutes was an awesome benefit, because I couldn’t afford to pay the $4 per minute charge if I went over.

Today, it would be hard to find someone with a cell phone like my old one. Cell phones are now about the size of a credit card and everyone from age 12 to 112 has one. Today’s cell phones can play any music you like, you can play video games on them, and some of them even play movies! The days of huge phones and 30 free minutes are long gone (thankfully). The truth is, cell phones are not a wonder to us anymore--they have become common. Why is it that things we once regarded as marvelous become ordinary over time?

I think that as people become more ‘enlightened’, we tend to lessen the role that God plays in our everyday lives. For instance, in elementary school we learn what the sun is made of and how it works. Because we have so much knowledge of the sun, we forget that every sunrise is a miracle of God. We know what causes a rainbow, we even know what colors make up that rainbow (anyone remember ROYGBIV? -red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet), but over the course of time we have seen so many rainbows we fail to remember that they are a symbol God’s promise to never flood the earth again. With all the medical advances we have today, when a person is healed of a disease, that healing is often seen as something performed by modern medicine and not God’s miracle. In other words, the ‘smarter’ we become, the less we give God credit for the miracles we see on a daily basis. The sunrise that you saw this morning is no less of a miracle than the first sunrise. God shows Himself in our lives everyday and we take it for granted. God is alive and working His miracles throughout time and space. It’s time we sat up and took notice.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Lately I have been feeling very restless (for lack of a better word). I know the Lord has a 'project' for me, but I am frustrated because I dont know what it is that I am supposed to be doing. I have a gut feeling, but it seems like such a huge task. Even though I know nothing is to difficult for God, I still have those nagging little doubts. Along with those doubts, I have satan telling me that I am not good, smart, pretty, talented enough to do it. Dang that satan!

Anyway, I have been pouring out my heart to God. I feel kind of like Moses when God asked him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Instead of saying "God, I stutter and the people wont listen to me" - I am saying, "God, I dont have enough knowledge and the people wont listen to me" (thankfully I dont stutter too).

I find that sometimes I am so vague with God - He knows my needs and desires, but I tend to withhold what I am truly thinking because of that. Sometimes I feel that He already knows what I want and need, so why bother Him with the details. Yesterday, He made it clear to me that it is not the devil that is in the details (as the old saying goes), but it is God who is concerned with details. As I prayed in generalizations, He spoke to my spirit saying, "Have you even read the Old Testament, do you know about the temple and how detailed I ordered it to be? ". It really woke me up to the fact that I am limiting God by saying I am not able. HE IS ABLE! Not only is He able to do more than I could have ever imagined, He would love to do miracles in my life. After all, if I were capable, wouldnt I love to work miracles in the lives of my children? (BTW, I know that I am totally incapable of miracles apart from Him).

If the God of the universe gave such explicit instructions for the Israelites in how to build the temple, why is it so hard to believe that He is concerned with the specific details of my life? And if God is leading me in a certain direction, why would He withhold the power for me to carry that 'project' out in His name and for His glory? He wouldn't. I was made for Him - made to bring Him glory. Why would He keep me from doing what He made me to do? He wouldn't. It is a difficult concept for me to grasp, but a truth that I need to grab hold of and run with. God is concerned with the details of my little seemingly insignificant life and He wants to do great and mighty things through me for His glory.

Lord, help me surrender to you in everything. Help me to speak specifically to you in prayer. Help me to realize that I have no power on my own, that my power lies in you, and that you are ALL-POWERFUL.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Have you ever really thought about the fact that satan gives his best first, but everyday with Jesus gets better and better until we get the best - Jesus and heaven. This is why we need to be hungry for the Word of God and keep our mind fixed on the things of God. Our human nature desires immediate gratification. It is innate in us to want what we want and want it NOW. If our eyes are not fixed on Jesus we are in danger of falling right in to satan's trap and being lured into doing things that make us 'feel good' now. Those of us who think we are immune to satan's ploys are completely deceived. Not one of us is incapable of adultery, gossip, lies, thievery, addiction, over-spending, etc. etc. How many times have you said of someone, "I never thought he/she was capable of doing something like that"? The most righteous man/woman on earth is still human and can be drawn into sin.

This is why it is so important for us to stay in the Word. John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God". This tells us that we cannot seperate the Word of God from the Son of God - THEY ARE ONE. When we spend time studying God's Word, we are truly spending time with God Himself. Do we really believe that? I think not. If we truly believed it, then you couldn't pry our Bibles out of our hands, because don't we all desire to be in the presence of our precious God?

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Several months ago, our Sunday School class was studying the book of Philippians. We read Philippians 3:20 which says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ". My Sunday School teacher went on to give an illustration that really hit home to me. It went something like this:

When we are in a foreign country, we have to be careful not to drink the water, because it isnt consistent with the water we drink in our homeland. If we go to Mexico and drink tap water, we will more than likely get sick from drinking it. Since our citizenship is in heaven, here on earth, we need to be careful not to partake of things that are not consistent with what is done in our homeland. If people in our homeland (heaven) arent doing ___________(you fill in the blank), then we shouldnt be doing _________________(fill in the blank again) either.

To stay consistent with what the people in our homeland are doing is a pretty lofty goal, but it is one we should all try our best to achieve. I guess the best way to describe it is that we need to try to be holy and live holy lives everyday. Leviticus 19:2b says, ".......Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy."

Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." That verse tells us that it is our reasonable service to present ourselves to God as a holy scarifice. So, in other words, it is the least we can do considering what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Lord, help me be holy because you are. Help me to live like a citizen of heaven and not like a citizen of this earth.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

I have never been a KJV only person. There is nothing wrong with being a KJV only girl, but I like to check out different translations to help me understand what God is saying through His Word. This morning I was reading in Exodus about the Israelites escaping Egypt and how God parted the sea for them. I could write a book (and I might) about the Old Testament and how the Israelites were so stubborn when God had proven Himself to be the True God so many times. Remind you of anyone? Anyway, I read Exodus14:14 in the NIV and decided to look it up in The Message. Here is how the Message says it:

"God will fight the battle for you.And you? You keep your mouths shut!"

I love it!!!! What a great lesson for me today (and everyday). I need to let God fight my battles (it's not like I could really fight them myself anyway) and just keep my mouth shut. When someone is unkind to me, I need to let God fight that battle and keep my mouth shut. When someone gossips about me, I need to keep my mouth shut.

Monday, September 3, 2007

We spent this weekend at a huge cabin in Gatlinburg, TN with my father and sisters (and my sister's kids). We had a great weekend of shopping, riding go-karts, eating, playing cards and games, and playing pool. We had a great time just being together.

This morning, we stopped at a pancake house to eat breakfast before we all went our seperate ways. My boys (ages 3 & 6) were sitting beside me when a couple came in and sat behind us. These people had a obvious physical impairment (both of them). My boys kept staring and my 3 year old even asked a pretty loud question about why these people were made that way. After being completely embarrassed by his honest question, I told them both to stop staring and we would discuss it in the car. Later when we were talking about why some people have physical deformities, I told the boys that God made these people exactly how He wants them to be and they are beautiful in His sight. I told them that even though we might see them as imperfect, God sees them as His perfect creation.

That conversation made me clearly see (yet again) how my attitude toward people, life, and God helps shape my children's outlook on life. If I had said something flippant or critical of those people, my kids would be quick to make fun of those who are "different" (I am careful not to say things that my kids would mistake as making fun of others). They are like little "mocking birds" - whatever I say and do, they will also do. If I am critical of others and cynical, they will be the same. When I show love, encouragement, respect, and mercy toward others, they will too. I pray that I remember this in everything I do.

God, parenting is such a huge responsibility. Make me remember that all little eyes are on me at all times. Help me to be Jesus to my kids and everyone around me. Let me show love in all things so that my boys will show love in all things.